Lexusfreak

Mobil 1 is good stuff.....I won't say it isn't as I've been using it for years myself. After doing much research however........I have discovered Amsoil is just that much better overall in every category that is tested to try & get an engine oil to break down or start to show wear on an engine. If one wants the VERY best engine protection available (I'm extremely fussy what fluids I use in my cars).......there are only 2 choices......Amsoil OR Redline. Redline is harder to come by in Canada, so I will be switching to Amsoil. BTW, the owners manual in my 01 ES states that tecnically 6 months or 8,000 kms (5,000 miles) between oil changes......but becasue of the sludge issue (even though I use synthetic) I change it more frequently than that as a preventitive measure. B) VGR, I won't own my ES 10 - 15 years from now & there has been NO evidence that the Valvoline synpower dot 3 & 4 (which meets all requirements of OE & then some) that it could cause a fluid leak. ;)

The 30 day no obligation test applies to the Goodyear Triple Tread (I'm not 100% sure how many other tires have that offer), includes a road side assistance program, tire rotation reminder, and other items. B) As you probably know travel.....that is all explained on the Goodyearassurance.com website. Keep us posted on what you decide. You will not go wrong with the Triple Treads & I have them on my short list when it comes time to replace my Toyo's on my 01 ES. Good Luck & I hope in the end you were more informed, than confused. ;)

yeah, we've been hit (Toronto area) pretty good with snow the last couple weeks that's for sure! :(

No problems yet on my 01 ES (knock on wood).

hmm, interesting but shouldn't this be in the ES forum??? ← Agreed den......Bender, try posting your questions in the ES Forums. B)

FYI.....the Toronto Amsoil distribution center is actually located in Mississauga mess just so you know. My next 100% tranny flush will be with Amsoil & same goes for the power steering. I'll also be using Amsoil's oil filter after I use up the last k & n oil filter & Mobil 1 filter. I've used Valvoline synpower dot 3 & 4 brake fluid in the past for other vehicles & it's good stuff. B)

That's exactly why I suggested putting ALL reviews from Lexus reviews on tirerack (even though there weren't that many). If you notice the reviews for both the Comfortreads & Triple Treads I posted.......they included both the positive & negative comments.......monarch put only the worst negative comments he could find which is biased & like I said......does a dis-service when trying to assist someone considering tires (one can ALWAYS find something negative to say about one thing or another). Silver, you are right.......I should have suggested the Falken's I did for you as they are a very good tire.......I guess I left them off the list simply because they are more on the 'high performance' side of things as opposed to an advertisied 'quiet' & smooth running tire (in which they are). They too should be considered as well! B) www.falkentire.com (Falken Ziex ZE-512)

define 'most' owners monarch. ;) You mention 'imitation' items........are you saying using products like Mobil 1 or Amsoil are 'imitation' items? :whistles: I agree that using some genuine Toyota / Lexus fluids & parts is better than others......but not all. ;)

Nice ride wil! B)

I know, I know. :( Point taken.

Gotcha! ;)

The synthetic Amsoil ATF is in fact compatable with the Toyota Type IV fluid & that includes if it's mixed. Here is a link to the amsoil site that mentions Toyota type IV. Enjoy! I'll be switching to the Amsoil ATF for my 01 ES....I have already spoke with an engineer at Amsoil with my concens about it & for the record, there has not been one claim (according to him) of any transmission failure when an owner used Amsoil ATF in their tranny because it is campatable & meets ALL requirements & then some that the Toyota Type IV fluid does! B) ;) I'll also be using it when I change my power steering fluid. :D There is even a write up about cleaning the filter mesh when performing a 100% fluid change! Which is recommended from time to time. B) http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atf.aspx

LOL, a what?

monarch, these are the reviews for the Comfortreads, not the Triple Treads & in fact in the end, may confuse travel & do a diservice in helping her with selections as you have been using the negative reviews as opposed to (let's be fair & unbiased now shall we? ) all reviews under the Lexus umbrella let's say? As surely there are some positive reviews for the Comfortreads in there as well. ......I have suggested the Triple Treads over the Comfortreads for many reasons as out of the 2, the Triple Treads are the better tire. Here are all the reviews from Lexus drivers for the Comfortreads......they are not all as negative as you suggest monarch. :whistles: I did the same with the Triple Treads as well......posted ALL reviews available from Lexus drivers....you should have done the same to be fair & un-biased! travel.....please take a few moments & read the write up I have provided you earlier in this thread to get a better idea of what the Triple Treads are all about. ;) Current Tire Tire: Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Performance Category: All-Season Filter These Results* (Numbers in parentheses represent the total number of reviews available for that filtering selection.) Filter by Vehicle LexusAll Acura(4) Audi(2) BMW(1) Buick(2) Cadillac(1) Chevrolet(5) Chrysler(6) Dodge(6) Ford(10) HOND(2) Honda(19) LEX(2) Lincoln(1) Mazda(3) Mercedes-Benz(1) Mitsubishi(1) NISS(2) Nissan(6) Oldsmobile(3) Pontiac(3) Saturn(3) Scion(1) Subaru(1) Toyota(7) Volkswagen(5) Volvo(3) 1992 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 Select Model All LS400 (1)SC300 (1) Filter by Driving Style All Average (1) Easy Going (4) Filter by Driving Conditions All Combined Highway/City (3) Mostly City (2) * For best results, filter by one option at a time. 5 Tire Reviews match your filtering criteria: Reviews are submitted by customers and The Tire Rack's sales specialists via our Online Tire Survey. NOTE: The Tire Rack's reviews are marked "Expert Review." Results 1 - 5 of 5 that fit your search criteria 1991 Lexus LS400 Miles driven on tires: 100 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 7.750 Location: El Dorado, CA Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Easy Going These tires are a paradox. On the one hand they absorb moderate to large bumps in the road very well so the ride is remarkably smooth on normally rough surfaces like secondary roads and concrete freeways. On the other hand, as other owners have noted, the Comfortred transmit minor road perfections to the passenger compartment in the form of a very light quivering / vibration type sensation to the ride. This is a minor, but noticable annoyance for an owner used to the glassy smooth ride (on smooth asphalt only) of tires like the Michelin MXV4-Plus. So the Comfortreds deliver a ride that is a little "busier" than most other luxury car tires on really smooth asphalt roads and freeways, but is also, paradoxically, much smoother on rough concrete roads and freeways. One rather big negative of the Comfortreds, as others have noted, is relatively high rolling resistance which hurts fuel economy. Example: With the Comfortreds my car would reach a coasting speed of 65 MPH down a 6% mountain grade, but with the factory original Goodyear Eagle GAs the car would reach a coasting speed of 71 MPH down the same grade. A 5% penalty in fuel consumption would add up to some rather big bucks after 50,000 miles. In summary, the Comfortreds are king of the road for the owner looking for luxury car ride comfort and quietness on most roads, but the owner who cant stand the slight quivering sensation these tires give to the ride on smooth roads, Id suggest buying the Michelin MXV4-Plus which rides glassy smooth on smooth roads and offers better directional stability than the Comfortreds while sacrificing some ride comfort and quietness on the rougher roads. -- Review Submitted 2004-11-07 1994 Lexus SC300 Miles driven on tires: 2,500 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 8.857 Location: Palm Coast, FL Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Average When I bought this car there were a set of Bridgestone Eagers installed. These Bridgestones were horrible! Extemely noise and rough riding. The ComforTreds are incredibly quiet and smooth. The car finally rides like a Lexus! I liked them so much I just had a set installed on my wifes 2002 Nissan Altima. I immediately noticed the improved ride and lack of noise on this car as well (previously had Continentals on that car). A great tire and highly recommended. -- Review Submitted 2004-09-30 2002 Lexus IS300 Sport Cross Miles driven on tires: 500 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 9.000 Location: Sterling Hts, MI Driving Condition: Mostly City Driving Style: Easy Going These tires are very quiet and ride great. The jury is still out on the steering. Steering is very light, like the old time power steering. Nice for parking though. -- Review Submitted 2004-08-28 2002 Lexus GS430 Miles driven on tires: 500 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 8.667 Location: Sterling Hts, Mi Driving Condition: Mostly City Driving Style: Easy Going The comfort and noise level on these tires is excellent. The jury is still out on the light steering feel. Its great when turning the wheels when standing still or slow driving. Steering is very light while driving. Ill try to re-evaluate when I get more miles on them. -- Review Submitted 2004-08-25 2004 Lexus LS430 Miles driven on tires: 2,000 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 6.000 Location: HENDERSONVILLE, NC Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Easy Going Only one of the 7 tires I tried was round. All were very noisy. -- Review Submitted 2004-07-23

With an average mileage per tire of 3,298 miles driven per review for the Goodyears vs 13,158 miles per review on the Dunlops, I would be more confident in the Dunlops than the Goodyears, thats all I'm saying. Its unfair the way TireRack ranks tires. Sure someone may be super satisfied with their tires at 3000 miles, as I was with the Toyos, but somewhat less so at 13,000 miles, as I am with the Toyos. They're great tires in everything but snow but because of that I wont buy another set. You also have to be careful when shopping tires for a car like this based on treadwear. Treadwear is often a tradeoff for performance. ← I understand what your saying sw.......however, our Toyo's only have a 400 treadwear (60,000 mile) rating. I don't base recommendations solely on treadwear ratings.....far from it. Having said that, it's also unfair to 'knock' a tire with a long treadlife to say it's a tradeoff for performance (it's possible that is the case......but that dosen't apply to all tires with a long treadlife & I know you stated that by using the term 'often'). I do know that Goodyear was near the bottom of the list for many years with having generally 'lousy' all season tires & all season premium tires. That being said, I can say that I did much research on these tires before I suggested my Dad get them on his Century. Goodyear has spent millions if not ten's of millions of dollars on R & D for this new line of premium all season tires (the basicaly replace the Aquatread 3's & related models) & it would appear they have certainly done their homework.......they hit a 'home run' with the Triple Treads that I will say! :D Here is just one of many recent write up's about the Triple Treads: I'm not sure if the picture will be on here, so I will also post the link: Keep in mind that this is a premium all season tire & not a winter tire at all. http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/041201.htm December 1, 2004 Goodyear Assurance TripleTred Tires by Jim Kerr If you haven't seen snow yet, it will soon be here. Roads are cold and slick. Traction is poor and many accidents occur. Perhaps the biggest factor in keeping your car on the road, besides slowing down, is having good tires on your car. Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread. Click image to enlarge The minimum safe tread depth for any tire is 2/32 of an inch. At this point, raised rubber "wear bands" will start to appear across the face of the tread indicating the tire needs to be replaced. Continue to drive with less tread and the tire will skid on moisture on the road surface. Even though 2/32 is the minimum tread depth, drivers who travel during heavy rains or in snow will want more than the minimum. Deeper grooves in the tread channel water away from the tread blocks so there is traction on the road. Snow is captured in deeper grooves for additional gripping power. Maybe you are ready for new tires before winter roads make driving hazardous. The new generation of winter "ice tires" is optimum for winter traction. Soft rubber compounds and special tread designs grip remarkably well, but if you don't want to change from summer to winter tires every year, or you don't often drive on slippery roads, or you need a tire that can also handle higher temperatures for those trips down south, you now have another choice. Goodyear has developed their Assurance line of tires to accommodate drivers who need a tire that can handle a combination of icy roads, heavy rain and warm weather highway driving. This is a new generation of all-season tire with new technology to build them. The Assurance tires are available in two models; ComforTred and TripleTred. Both are premium passenger car tires but the ComforTred model has additional layers of cushioning material that provide a smooth ride for today's luxury cars. The TripleTred is a tire that provides traction year around. Just as its name implies, the TripleTred tire has three distinct types of tread on each tire. To build the tread, different types of rubber are cooked for each of the three tread types. The three rubber types are then extruded through a common die to form one broad band of rubber that will be wrapped around the casing and cured in a tire oven to form a three-part tread. Three Zones. Click image to enlarge The centre section of the Assurance TripleTred tire is designed for traction on ice. Volcanic sand is ground into pumice and added to the rubber compound to provide grip on the ice. As the particles wear, they leave microscopic cavities with edges that help grip the slippery road. Tiny glass fibres are also added to the rubber compound to create a pitted surface for additional grip and to keep it flexible in cold weather. Finally, the tread design uses an interlocking pattern with many fine sipes for extra traction. On either side of the centre tread, a water zone is created by moulding the tire with long curved Aquachutes that propel the water away from the tread face. This area of the tire is more open and enables the tire to maintain traction on rain-soaked roads. A new silica based rubber compound provides maximum traction on wet roads while maximising tread wear. Finally, the outside shoulders of the tire form the dry zone. Large, stable tread blocks use a high performance rubber compound to keep the tire stable during cornering and sudden manoeuvres around potholes or other obstacles. Three tread types, three rubber compounds, all in one tire. Add in a Permablack compound to keep the tire looking new during its 130,000 km tread life warranty and you have a tire suitable for a wide variety of driving conditions. Winter tires - all season tires - summer tires. There are many choices out there. The TripleTred technology combines the best of all three, allowing safer driving wherever you travel. Jim Kerr is a master automotive mechanic and teaches automotive technology. He has been writing automotive articles for fifteen years for newspapers and magazines in Canada and the United States, and is a member of the Automotive Journalist's Association of Canada (AJAC).

Sharp looking pic Doug! :D

I thought so.....that's disappointing to be sure. :(

That's a hell of a dumping your folks got in New England Steve! :( The 'good weather' pics give us something to look forward to however! I hope your not too sore from shoveling! :whistles:

Perhaps thats the case sw.....although I thought you purchased your TPT's after I did? weird . I drove to my parents today after a 4 -6" snowfall yesterday....roads were plowed but not very well at all (many slick spots & slushy stuff especially in turns in the road). with the temp of -18 degrees c, or 0 degrees f. I slipped once in a turn which in all honestly I was going a tad too fast, but my traction control & VSC kicked in to let me know I was going to fast. Other than that, my drive was routine for the weather conditions & the round trip was uneventful & I returned safe & sound (although I did pass 2 accidents on my round trip) and I was not 'white-knuckled' at any point. I'm sorry you have lost 'confidence' with your Toyo's. :(

I agree sw.....that the Goodyears have not been on the market that long & that reflects on the amout of mileage that has been reported thus far. Having said that, there are still 235 overall reviews from folks that have given an honest opinion on the tires & the vast majority have been excellent. The better of the 2 Goodyears are the Triple Treads by far (although monarch I have to respectfully disagree with you on your evaluation on the comfortreads). My Dad had them on his 1990 Park Avenue & he was very happy with the ride comfort & wet weather performance (didn't have the tires long enough to test snow traction, but that does not look like it would apply in travels situation as she is from Florida). Having said that, my Dad also has put the Goodyear Triple Treads on his new 2002 Buick Century & has had them on now since the end of December & wow what a tire! :D We both have had the oppertunity to drive the car in everything from 8" of snow (and freezing rain after that) to a heavy rain fall (as the temp here went up to about 64 degrees a couple weeks ago if u can beleive that!). They are a higher model of the Assurance line of premium all season tires that Goodyear offers. They trump Michelins best (The Hydroedge) in overall performance & have a low rolling resistance to boot. The tire comes with an 80,000 mile warranty & is less expensive than many in the segment that don't even lower treadwear ratings. Hence the reason why I suggested then ahead of the Comfortreads! ;) Travel, before making your final decision on what tires to put on your LS, make several calls to several different tire dealers that carry a vast selection & many different tire brands.......ask them for suggestions & recommendations. If it's a reputable tire shop......they should be one of the models of tires they would suggest for your car & should be on your 'short list' for what you described earlier in this thread of what you are looking for in a tire. I have provided you with the reviews of this tire from other Lexus owners that have put them on their cars......you will notice that no LS vehicles have a review as of yet.....but I'd be willing to bet money that, that will change in the near future. B) I hope this helps. ;) Enjoy as they are from all different locations around the U.S. ;) The good reviews out number the bad reviews......as you can't please everyone all the time......nor has the 'perfect' tire been invented yet. :whistles: Current Tire Tire: Goodyear Assurance TripleTred Performance Category: All-Season Filter These Results* (Numbers in parentheses represent the total number of reviews available for that filtering selection.) Filter by Vehicle LexusAll Acura(3) Audi(1) BMW(2) Buick(6) Chevrolet(11) Chrysler(5) Dodge(5) Ford(13) HOND(1) Honda(28) Hyundai(5) Infiniti(3) Land Rover(3) Lincoln(2) Mercedes-Benz(1) Mercury(5) Mitsubishi(2) Nissan(8) Oldsmobile(6) Plymouth(4) Pontiac(20) Saab(3) Saturn(2) Subaru(20) Toyota(23) Volkswagen(8) Volvo(6) 1992 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 Select Model All ES300 (6) Filter by Driving Style All Average (6) Spirited (1) Filter by Driving Conditions All Combined Highway/City (4) Mostly Highway (3) * For best results, filter by one option at a time. 7 Tire Reviews match your filtering criteria: Reviews are submitted by customers and The Tire Rack's sales specialists via our Online Tire Survey. NOTE: The Tire Rack's reviews are marked "Expert Review." Results 1 - 7 of 7 that fit your search criteria 2002 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 5,700 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 7.667 Location: Helena, MT Driving Condition: Mostly Highway Driving Style: Average These tires are hazardous when driving on rutted ice. Worse than bias ply tires in the 50s. After 5000 miles they show 20% wear. Terrible for an expensive, 80k rated tire. -- Review Submitted 2005-01-04 1997 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 2,500 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 10.000 Location: Hagaman, NY Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Average Without a doubt, this is the BEST tire I have owned! I have driven in deep water, snow and even on ice without once feeling out of control. I am an average driver living in hilly upstate New York. I do 70-73 on the highway and 60-62 otherwise (except in the city). Of course snow will slow me down for conditions. But they are quiet, hold beyond belief and I certainly will buy only these all-season tires from now on. -- Review Submitted 2004-12-20 1994 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 500 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 7.143 Location: Grandville, MI Driving Condition: Mostly Highway Driving Style: Average Installed the Tripletreds on my wifes Lexus. Living in Michigan, we need a good all-season tire. Im not sure how they will do in the snow (In fact Im curious how so many reviewers rate them a "10" in the snow when they havent seen a winter yet.) I can say that I was very disappointed in the handling. Going straight on a dry highway, they are all over the place. Very squirely. Unless we get some snow soon and they are they are so good that they cause me to change my mind, they are going back to the dealer - thanks to the 30 day no-risk trial. -- Review Submitted 2004-11-18 2001 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 150 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 9.375 Location: Lake Mary, FL Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Spirited First, about the OEM tires I had on the car, Michelin had no wet traction. I had problems on wet roads even in neighborhoods with 25 MPH zones. They wear out very fast. In less than 20K miles I needed new tires. And the price? At 150% of other good tires, it was time for me to say good bye to the overhyped MIchellins!(The french governments debacle over Iraq did not help either!!) After carefully shopping in person and at tirerack and researching all aspects(price, safety, treadwear, warranty, comfort, handling etc.) I decided on the Assurance Tripletread. My first impressions are very favorable. The tires hugs the road well and are not noisy. The treadwear rating of 740 and warranty for 80K miles with roadside assistance and all for a price that is a lot less than Michelins, how can anyone go wrong? The only comparable negative is the Temprature rating of B versus A for other tires. But I guess you cant have everything! I will update this review after I put some more miles on the tire, but so far I am a happy camper. -- Review Submitted 2004-10-19 1997 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 550 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 10.000 Location: Hagaman, NY Driving Condition: Mostly Highway Driving Style: Average Goodyear engineers created a super tire. I find it so very quiet, corners like never before, improved gas milage, deep water is a joke and I am looking forward to snow here in upstate New York. Very seriously, this is a most remarkable tireand I plan to purchase a set for my wifes car next. To the Goodyear engineers, "Great job" -- Review Submitted 2004-10-18 2001 Lexus GS300 Miles driven on tires: 2,000 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 10.000 Location: turnersville, nj Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Average Tires are incredible definetly improved the ride of my gs.......way better than the invinticas the car came with luxury for luxury. -- Review Submitted 2004-09-30 1999 Lexus ES300 Miles driven on tires: 50 Reviewer's Overall Ratings: 8.375 Location: las vegas, nv Driving Condition: Combined Highway/City Driving Style: Average A Sexy, Fun Tire!! Did I say that!? Never thought I could be excited about tires. Its just that it was time to go around again. The OEM was the Yoko put on by Lexus. Never believed it could make such a difference! I feel like I now have a new car! I do like my creature comforts (a la the Lexus), and esthetics appeal to me,too. These tires make the car look and feel more sporty. I opened the windows to test for noise-what noise! Finally, I really tested them in some tight turns, and must say they took corners as smooth and tight as a Las Vegas pole dancer. As for the wet and icey handling , I could only go thru some puddles, but swerved over and over on purpose , and -no problem.. I will have to drive up to the mountains to let you know how it does in snow later this year. But, so far, I think this fairly new product will be a winner once the word gets around. Happy Trails!! -- Review Submitted 2004-07-17

Correct sw! B) But no actual 1989 Lexus models exist. ;)

I know.....very sad. :(

I use Mobil1 5W30 currently, but after doing much research, I will be switching to Amsoil (ASL) 5W30 for many reasons, but mainly for the much better protection & longer drain intervals it offers. Use the Amsoil oil filter as well. You can also (safely) use Amsoil synthetic ATF as it is compatable with the Toyota Type IV transmission fluid. Use the correct grade of engine oil that Lexus recomments in your owners manual & on the oil cap of your GS. The 0W30 grade is over kill unless your in Antartica or the North Pole as the Amsoil will protect down to -60. check out & compare specifications for both oils at www.mobil1.com & www.amsoil.com Good Luck! B)

I was trying to respond and say "Thank you" for your answer to my original question....It REALLY helped ← Happy to help........keep us posted as to what tires you end up installing on your LS. Don't forget to get a 4 wheel alignment at the same time.....it will extended the life of your tires & ensure they wear properly & evenly. Keep your air pressure maintained as well. B)

This was breaking news on CNN on Sunday Jan 23 at 1:52 pm that former Tonight Show Host Johnny Carson has died......he was 79. He was a fantastic entertainer & very much missed I'm sure. :( :cries: